The present invention refers to a teatcup adapted to be attached to a teat of an animal to be milked, including a teatcup part and a connection part,
the teatcup part being disengageably mountable to the connection part,
the teatcup part including a shell and a teatcup liner having an upper opening and a lower opening,
the teatcup liner forming an inner space for receiving the teat through the upper opening and being provided in the shell in such a way that a pulsation chamber is formed between the teatcup liner and the shell,
the connection part including a milk-discharging member for the discharge of milk from the teatcup, and a milk channel arranged to extend between the lower opening of the inner space of the teatcup liner and the milk-discharging member when the teatcup part is mounted to the connection part.
The present invention also refers to a teatcup part for a teatcup adapted to be attached to a teat of an animal to be milked,
the teatcup part being adapted to be disengageably mountable to a connection part of the teatcup,
the teatcup part including a shell and a teatcup liner having an upper opening and a lower opening,
the teatcup liner forming an inner space for receiving the teat through the upper opening and being provided in the shell in such a way that a pulsation chamber is formed between the teatcup liner and the shell,
the connection part including a milk-discharging member for the discharge of milk from the teatcup, and a milk channel arranged to extend between the lower opening of the inner space of the teatcup liner and the milk-discharging member when the teatcup part is mounted to the connection part.
Teatcups used today include, typically, a shell and a teatcup liner provided in the shell. The teatcup liner is an article of consumption that is subjected to wear and thus has to be replaced on a regular basis. The replacement of the teatcup liner is a time-consuming and difficult work, requiring dismounting of the teatcup liner from the shell and mounting of a new teatcup liner in the shell. Moreover, the replacement of the teatcup liner cannot be performed during a milking operation since the milk conduit is left open when the teatcup liner is demounted, and thus large quantities of air would enter the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,879 discloses a teatcup of the kind initially defined, which has a teatcup part and a connection part. The teatcup disclosed in this document is in the first place intended for milking of smaller animals such as sheep and goats. According to the technique disclosed in this document, the whole teatcup part may be replaced as a separate part when the teatcup liner has to be replaced. However, such a replacement still requires a significant effort since the external pulse conduit is connected to the teatcup part whereas the external milk conduit is connected to the connection part. Consequently, the pulse conduit has to be disengaged from the teatcup part and mounted to a new teatcup part.
EP-A-1 138 193 discloses another teatcup having a teatcup part and a connection part. The teatcup part may be replaced as a separate part when the teatcup liner has to be replaced. However, also in this case the external pulse conduit is connected to the teatcup part whereas the external milk conduit is connected to the connection part.